Dr. Herbert West & Astounding Tales of Medical Malpractice by Bruce Brown, illustrated by Thomas Boatwright

Arcana Studio, 2019

ISBN-13: 9781771352758

Available:  Paperback

With a foreword written by THE Jeffrey Combs, I knew I had to review this title.

Here begins the tale of young Dr. Herbert West: Re-Animator, legend, and genius. The story is told by his sister, Elizabeth Anne West (I happen to share first and middle names with our storyteller). The West family is constantly moving due to the young doctor’s scientific disasters(er, experiments), but despite all of that, she still loves her brother. After they settle in Providence, the family thinks things will settle down, but Lizzy knows better. One day while Lizzy is introducing her brother to the deliciousness of Johnny Cakes baked treats, the town doctor starts choking! He is saved by Dr. West, but the old doc isn’t right afterward. The townsfolk start visiting Young Doc West for their ailments, but he soon grows bored of treating them. So he starts experimenting…

Lizzy finds him in his basement laboratory with a familiar serum. When Lizzy demands to know what compelled him to create such a serum, he simply states, “I was bored.” The ravening horde of undead escape their basement prison to feast upon the only thing chewy and satisfying enough to sate their hunger…Johnny Cakes donuts. Can Lizzy and Herbert make it to Dean Allen Halsey at Miskatonic University in time?

I love everything about this book. The story is definitely all ages, even though Herbert goes into overly scientific explanations about, well, everything. It’s good we have Lizzy to remind him to use layman’s terms. The artwork is vibrant and colourful, and the action scenes are drawn so well. There is a panel where Lizzy is shaking Herbert wildly from side to side and I had to take a minute to finish because I was laughing so hard. This is a great book for anyone who likes a healthy dose of humor in their Lovecraft. Highly recommended.

Contains: unrelenting devouring of baked goods by the undead

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker